Why is Amazon so successful?

[Bycrick]

Several years ago, I bought some things from Harbor Freight. No problems. Over the past several years, they’ve continued to send email ads, but I didn’t see anything that caught my eye. About a week ago, I got a very personable email asking where had I been? Why haven’t you bought anything from us? Reading the ad led me to a trivial $6.99 special that I’d just suddenly developed a need for. Well, a $7 order is hardly worth the trouble, but I looked around for some other stuff that I could use and worked the order up to about $85.

Placed the order. Got the confirmation. About 3 hours later, I got an email saying "

Unfortunately, we are no longer shipping to Freight Forwarders, Shipping Centers, Brokers, and/or Warehouse Distribution Centers. Therefore, the order has been cancelled.

Yet I can go to Amazon, place an order, even a small one, and have zero problems. The freight forwarder is in Miami, and it’s a US credit card.

The email doesn’t allow any responses, which means any follow up has to be by phone from Panama. I may try tomorrow just to see what happens, but this isn’t a good start.

[DeValency]

You have responded yourself. The old school sellers didn't understand the new world. They still live in their own world where the client need to go after them, make calls, poor client support, tedious checkout, lack of inventory and variety.

Amazon taught the entire world of merchants with hundred years of experience how to do business - and all that just in a few years, have a high level of customer satisfaction, offer reasonable prices (not always the lowest) and most important one stop shop with the best experience. And for a good reason they smashed the entire industry.

[Fortytwo]

Just hearing Harbor Freight scares me...

[Yihang]

Market place model is taking over the world. Inventory models just can't compete. When my dad closed his computer shop a few years back he had a bunch of video cards and USB drives from 2009. All money down the drain.

[longjonsilver]

Well, i buy from Amazon cuz i can get stuff that is not available locally. KMg food grade, Green Mussels in pills, and sailing books, are just a few of the things i cant buy locally.
jon

[SV Siren]

Amazon does things right. I can place an order, and have something the next day, often with no shipping charges..they are the leader in online sales for a reason...their business model is simply the best there is.

[bletso]

I too have had to buy things from Amazon because I couldn't find it local. I really don't like to as I prefer buying local. Between Amazon. Ebay and Craigslist a small business can't compete. Even the big box stores will be the next to fall down.
It isn't always the search for the cheapest goods but just the goods.

[BlueH2Obound]

Why are they successful? Because they make it EASY!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by bletso

I too have had to buy things from Amazon because I couldn't find it local. I really don't like to as I prefer buying local. Between Amazon. Ebay and Craigslist a small business can't compete. Even the big box stores will be the next to fall down.
It isn't always the search for the cheapest goods but just the goods.

How about the thousands of small businesses who start up and sell through eBay and Amazon with great success?! It is not big vs small, it is old vs new.

[CaptTom]

I went looking for an odd part. There are a few local dealers, who either don't have it in stock, or don't seem to want to return my calls. Due to the pandemic, the supply chain is disrupted and parts are hard to come by.

Amazon is out of stock too, so I went looking for other on-line sellers.

OMG what a mess! Each has a different way to search, and even with the part number, it's a challenge to find what I need. Almost none give any indication whether or not the part is in stock, so I had to call. Some didn't even offer phone support, and ignored my e-mails. Others didn't tell me where they were, so I didn't know when to call based on their time zone. I left a lot of messages and e-mails. Got one call-back so far, who promised to have the warehouse check and get back to me. That was two days ago.

I haven't even gotten to the point of trying to figure out how much it will cost, since most don't disclose shipping until you're well along in the ordering process.

And, of course, I have no idea what would happen if I get the wrong part, or it's damaged.

I was beginning to wonder whether I should stick with Amazon, given that their prices aren't always the best. I recently ordered something direct from the manufacturer, for slightly less than the same product on Amazon, and felt pretty good about myself. Until I waited almost two weeks for delivery.

Amazon is looking pretty good to me right now.

[waterman46]

Shopping is always evolving to use whatever new technology enables a better experience for customers. First it was little shops, each selling a limited and usually specific range of items. You had to spend all day going to each little store and they often wouldn't have what you want. And you had to be intimately familiar with your shopping areas. (My main frustration when cruising). Then came shopping centers (some of those now reasonably close to anchorages). Good parking, air conditioning, food and shops all under one roof. Then came the internet (buy without leaving your boat). Incredible worldwide selection. Ship to your door or marina.

Amazon finally put all of that in one website, with super fast delivery, excellent return policies and competing sellers to get a reasonable price. Free shipping and free movies with Amazon Prime membership.

Who could possibly return to the old Main Street style?

But we lost the personal touch (sometimes that is good). So those who miss that just hang out at Starbucks.

[barnakiel]

Amazon is successful because the guy who invented it did not follow the 'ho it is done' rule.


He did things his own way.



b.

[zstine]

Amazon is super convenient and we are lazy, haha.

[ayates]

Originally Posted by Yihang

Market place model is taking over the world. Inventory models just can't compete.

Somebody at some point in the supply chain is carrying inventory. Be it the retailer, the distributor, the manufacturer, or some other ad-hoc point.


Allan.

[Cadence]

The same as always, it's costumer satisfaction that counts and they provide it.